Cooperation and Friends
by TiffaIrishGirl
Summary: Its a story of the Hogwarts children escaping from the magical world to mingle in the Muggle world only to find that maybe what they believed about the Muggle world wasn't what they thought. Twilight and Buffy characters come together with the Hogwarts
1. Chapter 1

*Author's note: to those of you who have already read my posted chapters one and two. I had to repost them because the revisions I did in edits wouldn's show. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

Chapter One

"Ginny? Did you have to pick such a dreary town?" George Weasley teased affectionately as they drove their very Muggle SUV into a town that ran along the west coast in Oregon.

"It's called Hope… George," Ginny said as defense. Her brown eyes gazed out at the open sea and the rocky cliff side below the road. "Plus its one place that offered last minute admission to international students and we all agreed after everything we needed a break from the magical world, " she eyed George. "You're the one who said we should go as students. Luckily, I was able to get past the whole magical secondary school versus Muggle college in another country no less with Kingsley's help as well as Hermione's and Dad's."

George waved her off, "Yeah, yeah I know", he paused as they passed the sign for Hope, Oregon…three thousand two hundred and five in population. "So basically you and ministry made up passports, green cards and a education none or at least some of us have never had," He knew he suggested some of the plan but he wasn't his usual happy self, not right now, not since…

"Well George as we Apparated in, well basically," she added since she still needed to pass her Apparition exam. "We really didn't need the passports except it would have been difficult explaining our undeniable British accents without a reason we had them and it gives us a Muggle id…the passports are legal," she paused, calming her agitation knowing George was still healing and while the rental car from the airport was a necessary cover for their entrance into town, the ride from the Seattle airport had been a long one, she was losing her patience. "We achieved our visas as legally as we could. You know that as well as the England's Prime Minister knowing of our world so does the American President, I mean there are American witches and wizards and the Ministry of Magic explained our plan." she paused, knowing she was sprouting the information George basically knew. "We have education visas for a four year degree. However, considering that Muggles can't really control our movements we are allowed to use floo powder, Apparition and or port keys to travel between here and our home…the visas and passports are only for the school benefit."

A hand touched Ginny's shoulder, easing her agitation, she reached up and took the comfort from Harry, not realizing the awkward gaze from her brothers who were still trying to get use to the fact that their sister and best/good friend were very much in love. Harry spoke up from the back seat, "George you know we needed to do this, its been a hard year and it will be nice to see the rest of the world."

George decided not to mention that all they'd seen of the "rest of the world' was the Seattle Airport where they'd Apparrated into bathroom stalls and then the rain covered dreary road between there and here.

Instead he let his anger calm at a glance towards Ginny's sad upset face. She was facing the other way, avoiding looking at him but he saw the lone tear trickle down her face. "Ah Ginny I'm sorry. I'm grouchy…I barely know how to drive this car and its been a long couple of years."

Her eyes turned his way and she patted his knee with her free hand, her other still grasping Harry's. "If it helps…the house we're staying in is one of Harry's inheritance from his parents so it should be a nice one. Kreacher and a couple of Hogwarts house elves are there now trying to fix it up nicely for us."

George nodded agreeable, not really wanting to argue with his sister. "Um where is this house?" he asked, mumbling under his breath something about why couldn't they just Apparrate.

"It's actually out of town, almost in a town called Forks. The Potters liked their privacy without having to hide it magically, that much," Ginny said then actually smiled. "Though apparently the grounds look as though they've been well cared for and there's a rumor in town that the house is a rich author's hideaway. That he sneaks in at night and hides his car when in town. We really don't know where the Muggles started the rumor. Hermione figures we should just go on with the story that the author is letting his son and son's friends stay there while they go to Hope College."

"Yes," Hermione voiced up from her middle seat between Harry and Ron. "It makes it fit, we're going to just follow the already planted story otherwise Harry and the rest of us will have a lot to explain. As it is they're going to find it weird five young college age students all staying in the mansion by themselves all of a sudden."

"Okay that makes sense, and since we're all sixteen or older we don't have to explain that?" George made the statement into a question.

"We explained we all got the equivalent of a GED, even Ginny, by studying at home," Hermione explained. "So though she's young, your parents have signed guardianship over to you. The rest of us should be okay since most of us are turning or have turned eighteen already and we are legal adults."

George nodded, "Gotcha, okay so…" he looked around as they drove onto a road with tall tress of all varieties, mostly pines, on both sides of it. "Are we getting close? I have to pee."

The whole car laughed because George sounded like an impatient young kid.

He blushed mumbling…"Well I do."

***********************

A few hours later, they were settled into the amazingly clean, warm and large house, the house elves were now outside working on the lawn. It might hold a Muggle mist of cleanliness but the lawn definitely looked like it hadn't been visited in the last seventeen years.

Harry and Ginny sat on the couch pouring over the college brochures they'd received back in England.

George was half-heartedly messing with a joke him and Fred had been developing before everything had begun.

Hermione already had the text books from her science and history major classes in front of her. She was trying to put book covers on them. Ron, sitting next to her, was going between eyeing the couple across from them and reading one of his Quidditch magazines.

"Ron stop staring at them," Hermione mumbled quietly in his ear. "Its not like its anything new."

Ron glared at her instead then buried his nose in the Quidditch magazine, the moving pictures getting front row seats of his nose and heated gaze.

That night they decided they'd go to the college the next morning to check out the campus and get their supplies for those of them that weren't so excited to see what Muggle classes were like that they had already gotten their books. They remembered that the professors at their last school hadn't always been the greatest. When it got right down to it some of those professors had tried to kill them, needless to say they were hoping Muggle professors were less violent.

Little did they know that it wouldn't be the professors they'd have to worry about, well at least not fully…

*************************

In their smaller but enough size for them home sat another group of mainly young adults. Not as young as the group in the house just across the street but a group of future students at the Hope College, well at least most of them were going to be.

A young woman, probably about twenty-two or twenty-three years of age sat trying to relax in a comfortable couch. Her blonde hair had grown long again but was pulled back in a pony tail making her look younger than she was, if you looked in her eyes though, there was a lot of the weight of the world in them. Her lithe body moved restlessly as she shifted, trying to read a book…the title would have been a little odd to many people. "Demons from South Africa and Their Good and Bad Attributes." The woman's name was Buffy.

Buffy Summers was a unique young lady in her own right. She'd escaped from many trials and worse in her life. The latest, though a grand victory for many had been a rough battle. But through it all she'd gained many more slayers and well…friends. However, the original, as Xander called it, Scooby crew were the only ones with her. Her fellow slayers were out there recruiting and training the others. Buffy and the Scoobies plus Dawn and Giles were taking a well earned break from everything.

Buffy thought relaxing was for the dogs though. She couldn't sit still however with the recent battle there wasn't much evil stirring in the world…at least in this part of it.

Nowadays, occasionally she went on patrol but nothing seemed to pop up. And in these times she found herself missing Spike. She needed something to do…

Willow Rosenburg and Xander Harris busted into the kitchen where she'd been sitting in the dark by the nook. "Look across the lawn, the Potter house actually has lights on!" Willow said excitedly and Buffy looked across to their closest and seemingly only neighbors. They'd been there for only a month having heard of the rumors and not seeing any sign of life had expected their privacy to remain intact without much of a hassle. But the lights on in the house only meant they'd have to train…when they trained again…in the back of their house.

"Does Giles know?" Buffy asked.

Both of them nodded, "He said to not to worry about them," Xander told her, his expression saying he did. Rupert Giles was well at least had been what they call a Slayer's Watcher…Buffy's Watcher since she'd started high school long ago at Sunnydale High.

"Isn't it weird there is people in the house after its been basically empty for the past…"

"There's more than one?" Buffy interrupted.

"Apparently they look young. Giles thinks they're college age kids," Willow said eying the lights across the street. "But you know how I said that house felt weird, not necessary bad just weird?"

Buffy nodded walking away from the window over to a seat in the living room, "Yea."

"Well when the group arrived, it felt even weirder. I've had the sensation before but I can't explain it. It doesn't feel evil or even humans playing at Wicca but stronger," Willow shrugged her slim shoulders, her red hair lying straight in a pixie cut. "I don't know, maybe I'm still charged up from the…" she trailed off. Xander placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe we can take something to them to welcome them to the neighborhood…um well lol or the lack of neighborhood?" Dawn, Buffy's younger sister by a couple of years, said as she entered the room carrying the tray that held their dinner on it. Giles followed with plates and drinks.

"I think that would be a good idea," Giles said.

They agreed that when it seemed as if their new neighbors were home sometime tomorrow, they'd visit.

Dawn bounced excitedly in her seat, "Oh good I'm going to make…"

"Dawn eat," Giles said but smiled encouragingly.

****************************

Meanwhile not too far down the road from the two homes, just as Hope became Forks on top of a hill in a large mansion a strange family abnormal in usual circumstances would have been very strange to the Scoobies. The atmosphere was agitated because they'd just heard of Buffy and her gang.

Bella sat in the Cullen household enjoying one last week off from high school. She'd come with Edward when his 'parents' had called a meeting. Now she was trying to follow the flow of words but it was hard. Except for the phrase "Vampire Slayer', she stood up abruptly so she'd get their attention. "What? Slayer?" she realized that still hadn't stopped their rapid succession of talk, so she tried again louder this time. "What Slayers?!"

The Cullens abruptly quieted and Edward walked over to her. Well it was more of a blink, in his agitation he forgot to be more subtle around her however use to it she became. "There's always been rumors of different breeds of vampires," he explained. "One that does burn in the sun and the crosses and holy water and all of that affect them and," he paused, gesturing at his family, "Us… The problem is with this rumor its hard to tell the difference between our kind who hide because that's the only places they can live and the other breed. Since we've been in Oregon we've heard of some heavy truth to those rumors," he paused making sure she understood so far.

"Yes I've read of the different um…" she hesitated on the word. "Breeds but I figured all of those were just what your kind in years past had portrayed to humans and caused the different stories through the years."

Edward nodded, "Yes even the Vultori," Bella flinched at the name. "Even they don't know or have never said at least. So we just kind of ignored the rumors and figured our breed was enough to worry about… However there's always been a Vampire Slayer, a young chosen woman, one at a time chosen to fight and slay vampires and other demons. Even we have heard rumors of her though we, our breed, we have less ways for us to die obviously than the rumored other ones. Anyhow these other vampires…they don't have souls…well most of them don't…and they are more likely to just go after their food..." Bella knew what he meant by going after their food.

Bella nodded her eyes still wide with fear. "So we think this once in a lifetime Slayer is living in the town next door?"

Carlisle Cullen, known to most of the town as Doctor Cullen, came over and sat on Bella's other side. "Well you see, I heard about it around a month ago. Do you remember the town that scientist swore a meteorite had hit? Sunnydale, California?"

Bella remembered hearing vaguely about it, "Yea?"

"Well, from news I've gathered there was more to it then that. It was a Hellmouth, a place where demons, some of the worst of demons can escape. The slayer and many unheard of amount of slayers and a few friends stopped it. According to my source, the original slayer, Buffy Summers, had made a way to have all the potentials come to their full Slayer potential now instead of waiting until she died. Anyhow the source didn't go into great detail about what happened, but she and her close friends are here to take a breath. Apparently they're just here to go to school at Hope College."

"Who told you all this?"

"Buffy's watcher…" at her raised brows, he continued his explanation. "A watcher is the person who was trained...I believe fated to train the potential slayers in the world. Slayers tend to not have long lives. Buffy's watcher, well technically, I guess he's not her watcher anymore…his name is Giles still has some ties to the Watcher's Counsel and even with all the issues they've been having they have heard of our kind."

Bella had many more questions. "So, this watcher and the slayer know there are good vampires?" her voice heavy with worry.

Carlisle smiled, appreciating Bella's love for the Cullen family. "Well, he knows one of the other vampires had a soul by his own choosing and he saved them, us all in the last fight. Then there's apparently another, Angel, who has a soul. He's in LA, still fighting the battle there. Apparently, while Giles had heard about us he had never actually seen proof we existed, let alone our type of us, till I sought him out."

"Wow, should you and this Buffy woman talk?" Bella asked.

"Actually we are going to, Giles said this following Sunday would be a good time, I thought it would be good if all of us were here, including you Bella." Since today was Wednesday that was only a few days away.

Rosalie snorted but didn't say anything and they all agreed to be ready mid-day on Sunday to be there when the slayer and her group arrived.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I know many fan fics are short stories and quick reads. I tend to be a wordy author and like to be descriptive. So please enjoy but keep in mind this story will have a lot of cliff hangers. Also for those of you who don't know all of the stories and see the hints here and there but not full explanations at times, please understand its part of the story, later explanations will be given in more detail.

Dedication: To Christina, for her everlasting support in all my writings. Here's to hoping both our fan fics and our own stories will move along as the wind does along the sea. Thank you dear…

Chapter 2

Harry stood in the college bookstore the next day, feeling a pain because he missed Flourish and Botts and the whole Diagon Alley. However, he did feel that he needed to be here, in Hope, and taking a breath from the magical world. He had decided to take general studies, most of the group were… well besides Hermione and Ginny of course. Ginny, though was only majoring in Humanities. She thought it would be fun, she had said, to learn more overall about the Muggle world and their society.

All his classes were introductory, thankfully. He remembered, though it had been quite a while ago, what Muggle classes were like. While he'd done way better than Dudley, he hadn't actually enjoyed them. He was pretty sure college classes would be worse not better. Luckily Ginny and him were in most classes together--it was their first year and a small college. Ron and Hermione shared many of their same courses as well, even George had taken a couple of the same courses but he was taking some business courses also. He'd been thinking of selling some of the Muggle jokes to Muggles through their internet and figured he would need to learn something about how Muggles handled business.

Hermione came over with her pile of books, the sales clerk had given her a box to hold them all. Apparently the text books she already had weren't enough. He smiled, "Are you sure all the time turners were destroyed?"

"Ha ha, I am just very good at time management," Hermione bit back. Her curly hair, even more frizzy because of the constant moisture in Oregon's atmosphere, fell over her eyes.

Ron came over, taking the box from Hermione before Harry had a chance. "She had to argue with the counselor so she could take one more course," Ron said holding back a smirk.

"I'm a double major and I want to actually finish them…well at least get a chance to," Hermione murmured but smirked as well remembering her conversation with the Muggle guidance counselor. She could be convincing, even without magic if she wanted to be.

"Are you actually planning on using the degrees?" George asked, as a part time student he had the fewest books in an over the shoulder sling bag he'd brought---Hope College's crest engraved on the front of it. He readjusted it as he joined them in the aisle.

Shrugging Hermione glanced at the paper and pens Harry had been looking at earlier. "Well blimey I can't believe I forgot Muggles don't use ink quills and parchment paper on a regular basis."

Ron did laugh but sighed, "I miss Hogwarts," he whispered to Harry who nodded in agreement as he picked up pads of paper and pens.

************************

Willow felt that odd sensation she'd been feeling at home since they'd moved to Hope. Except it was ever stronger than what she had felt even last night. She turned into the supply aisle just as a red hair lanky boy took a box from a long curly brown hair girl. There was another boy, he had black hair that unsuccessfully covered an odd looking scar that even from down the aisle she believed it was the shape of a lightning strike on his forehead. They looked like a group of freshmen, basically normal though she heard a British accent in their voices, she couldn't hear exactly what they were saying. She wouldn't even have paid them any mind except they seem to be the source of the strange sensation she'd been having.

She pretended to be interested in the pens and paper, getting closer to them without seeming obvious. She was an impatient women and if these, which she pretty sure they were, were her neighbors she wanted to find out why their magic was so strong that even she felt it when it wasn't being obviously used. She'd gotten closer only to hear them talking about their classes and what other supplies they should get. The black hair boy with the odd shaped scar looked up just as she'd been eying them again. His smile changed as his amazing green eyes caught hers…almost as if he was slightly annoyed.

Harry couldn't believe it, he was miles away from Hogwarts and not even among witches and wizards…well besides his friends, and he was getting stared at. Except those brown hazel eyes of the straight red hair slight woman seemed to be asking many questions.

Ron elbowed his side, "Come on mate, time to head out of this place."

Pulling his gaze from the woman, he followed his friends to the check out counter. He'd have to keep an eye out for that woman, she seemed to know something, though he was pretty sure she wasn't a witch…

"Willow?" Buffy put her hand gently on her friend's shoulder. "You look as if you've seen a ghost?" And in their world it was likely…or at least something similar or worse. "Willow?"

Willow turned her gaze away from the group. "No, but I think that group at the register is our across the street neighbors."

Buffy followed her gaze, catching the eye of a younger red hair woman. She raised her brows as if asking "What?" with just her expression. A black hair young man at her side turned, Buffy caught the lightning shaped scar right away, and whispered in her ear while avoiding Willow's and Buffy's eyes. The young woman's eyes turned bitter with annoyance and she turned her back on them.

"I think the black hair guy spot me staring earlier, he wasn't happy," Willow said in way of explanation.

"His unusual shaped scar probably causes stares and he's probably bitter," Buffy said feeling empathy. She might not scar but she'd sure had her share of stares in her lifetime.

"Wonder how he came about the scar?" Willow asked though obviously not expecting an answer from Buffy herself and wasn't sure if she'd get that answer if she just came out and asked when they went over tonight.

They bought their schooling supplies, wondering idly if they could actually make it through a school year without another apocalypse happening. But with all the new slayers awakened at least they had even more of a fighting chance. As they headed out the bookstore doorway, Willow thought of something and grabbed Buffy's arm… "Hey, you remember after defeating The First and we had just gotten out…remember when I said I could feel the new slayers being awakened?--What if that's the reason?"

Buffy thought for a moment, but then shook her head. "No, that can't be right, you said you recognized this feeling from even before that…you've had it even back in high school. Plus you had the feeling even before there were signs of life around the house, you said it felt like the house was wrapped in powerful magic…not evil magic you assured us but powerful."

Shrugging, Willow said, "Well there's definitely something about them and I'm going to figure it out."

"I'm sure you will, Wil. You're good at that sort of stuff."

Willow just smiled, her brow knitted in concentration.

***************************

Later that day Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were all gathered around the fire place in the living room. They'd just received a Patronus message from Arthur Weasley, Ginny, Ron, and George's dad, that their mum and himself would be arriving shortly via the Floo network set up in advance by the Ministry in the house's fireplace. They had decided that Patronus messages would be more reliable then owls considering the distance. George walked in with the tray of tea and crackers Ginny had been preparing before the message had arrived. "Anybody…"

Suddenly a burst of flames engulfed the barren fireplace, yet to be lighted since their arrival, it might be dreary but there had been no need for a fire for warmth. The flames dimmed and two people appeared in the fireplace's hearth. Molly Weasley wiped off the ashes from the trip before she stepped into the room, Arthur was too entranced by all the Muggle artifacts being used in their actual places. "Oh look at all the plugs, wonder why the Potters went through so much trouble to make this place look like it was a regular Muggle home?" he mumbled.

Figuring he deserved his fun after the past year, Molly left her husband to enjoy his life's passion and walked over to the kids, giving them all hugs. They each held a special place in her heart. Blinking back tears, she surveyed her surroundings. "Kreacher and his team did well," she finally said, nodding approvingly. "So have you been to the college?"

They sat in the spacious but at the same time modest living room, each grabbing a cup from the tray George had brought in, as Ginny answered, "Yes, we bought out books and supplies, we almost forgot to get pens and paper."

Molly giggled, noticing for the first time that their books were piled on the dining room table that you could see from the living room. "Wow," she rose up and walked over to the table, glancing idly at the book titles. "Mythology?"

"That's a study on different Muggle believes throughout the ages," Ginny said, picking up her book. "Its amazing some of the things they believe and how close it coincides with some of our world. Such as vampires, werewolves, and many other things."

Hermione finally glanced up from her book she'd only put down for a second at the Weasley's arrival. On the front of her paper bag cover she'd been eager to make because it had reminded her of the good parts she remembered before Hogwarts, it said "History of Society." "They even talk about witches being put up for trial and burned at the stake, which I knew of, but not many Hogwarts' books explained that there might have actually been Muggle witches, or if they had, had discredit the rumors as Muggles misconstruing actual Wizarding magic done around Muggles who'd been accused."

Ginny and Molly scrambled to sit by Hermione, each ending up on one side glancing over her arms to read the page she'd just read. "There's been folklore all through many societies of witches being born with powers and others realizing they have it within themselves later in life. "Spell books" made by Wicca and other "witches, wizards, sorcerers, etc" have existed throughout the history of mankind." Ginny read out loud then giggled. "Does the Ministry know about this?"

Hermione and Molly laughed.

Hermione read a little more. "I think the Ministry of Magic didn't want to believe that they didn't have power over all the magic in the world. So if they did know they wouldn't have announced it in the "Daily Prophet"".

"Well that is certainly an interesting point of view, I wonder what is true and not?" Molly said, reading over Hermione's shoulder.

George snorted, "I wonder if the "Quibbler" ever mentioned it."

Hermione and Ginny actually considered it for a moment. "I don't know," Hermione said after a moment of trying to think back on the few Quibblers she had read in past times when Luna had given her a copy here and there.

"Hey what's this?" Arthur interrupted their talk holding up a black and silver flat object with a white string hanging from it.

Ginny rushed over, "Oh that's mine, its what they call a Ipod. It holds lots of Muggle music on it so you can choose whatever you want to listen to whenever. Harry bought it for me the other day, we've been trying to figure out how to get Wizarding music on it as well as Muggle songs." Her red hair went well with her sudden blush, but she obligated her dad's curiosity showing him how to move your finger across the board and change music.

A few moments later he murmured, "Its magic!"

It was now his turn to blush as they all laughed.

*****************************

Willow glanced agitatedly out the window yet again at the house across the street. "It looks like they're home," she said yet again, realizing she was repeating herself and being silly she forced herself away from the window and planted herself in front of the computer.

Kennedy, who had popped in for a quick surprise visit that day, taking a breather from fellow slayer searching, rubbed Willow's shoulders. "I gotta get back on the road dear, there's a couple of new slayers in Alaska that need some help and I volunteered to help them," she said.

Willow turned around and hugged her. "Be careful. Stay in touch," she said. They embraced for a few minutes until a polite cough interrupted them. They turned to see Xander who'd just entered the room.

"Sorry ladies," he said. "But Giles said it looks like a good time to head over." Smiling as Willow popped out of her chair excitedly. Kennedy said goodbye and promised she would keep them up-to-date.

A few minutes later, Buffy, Willow, Dawn, Xander and Giles were walking up the Potter drive. Willow was feeling the combination of the power she felt from the house itself and the people inside. She tried to sense what it felt like but couldn't place her witch sensors on it.

Xander knocked on the door, as he and Giles were the only ones who weren't carrying a platter of food…Giles was carrying a couple of books. He stepped aside though not wanting to be the first thing his new neighbors saw, people tend to stare at the eye patch over his left eye instead of actually talking to him.

Harry opened the door wondering who could be visiting only to find the two women from the bookstore on his front step with three other strangers. He opened his mouth to ask them, probably quite rudely, why they were here when Molly stepped up behind him asking, "Who is it Harry…ohhhh look a neighborhood welcoming party, how sweet," she said excitedly brushing past him so she could welcome in the group. That was when Harry noticed the pile of covered food dishes the girls were carrying. He automatically took them from the red head he'd spotted earlier in the day. Just because he wasn't very happy with the sudden visit and by whom it was from didn't mean he couldn't be gentlemanly and take the dishes off her hands. Though he really didn't have a choice with Molly standing near by.

"Come in, Come in," Molly gestured towards the others who'd stood up at the entry of the strangers. Arthur still had the Ipod in his hand and was in fact listening to "Celtic Woman", he tugged the ear buds out, handing the Ipod back to his daughter when he saw the newcomers. "My husband and I just were stopping by for a quick visit to make sure the kids had settled in okay. Do make yourselves at home," she added when they remained standing there. "Do you folks live across the way?" she asked after they all had found a seat. However modest the house was in size to someone as rich as the Potter family, it did offer a lot of comfortable options for seating in its living room.

The oldest person, Harry noticed, placed his books…upside down with their book bindings facing him on the coffee table, spoke first. "Well I guess local folklore on the house forgot to mention that the Potters were from England," the man said, his own voice indicating his British roots. Harry surveyed the man as he sat on the long sectional couch where Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all sat. Ginny was on his right side, she grabbed his hand as he sat, he smiled at her, grasping her hand.

Turning back to the man who was talking, Harry realized he faintly resembled Dumbledore in character. As if. at least at one time, he'd been the leader and teacher of the group, still was in some aspects, but also a father like figure though Harry was pretty sure none of the younger adults were his children. He wasn't too tall, had a hidden strength in him that Harry was sure he could use when needed, his hair was a dark brown almost black, slightly receding, slightly unruly, with gray highlights. He had on glasses that gave his otherwise rough appearance a distinguish look that placed Harry in mind of Muggle professors and teachers he'd seen. He was adjusting those glasses, glancing at Harry as he did so, when he continued talking. "But considering the fact I don't hold truth to guessing rumors people make up about that of the unknown, I would be surprise if any of it were true. However, that's besides the point. I'm Rupert Giles, I prefer to be called Giles, and yes.." he paused glancing at Molly.

"Oh my name is Molly Weasley, I'm Ron, George and Ginny's mother," she indicated each person with her hand, they nodded in acknowledgment in return. "Harry," he nodded to Giles, still trying to figure the man…and the group out. "Well he's sort of an adoptive son," she gave a little laugh. "He's a Potter, and his father…is the author." Molly didn't like lying but she knew it was necessary, still her words sounded too forced even to Harry's ears. "The girl sitting next to Ron is also kind of an adoptive child, her name is Hermione and my husband's name is Arthur."

"Nice to meet you all," Giles continued, the others around him nodded and murmured in agreement. "This here," he indicated the blonde athletic looking woman, "is Buffy Summers and her sister," Giles continued, indicating the younger long brown hair woman…the two really didn't look much alike, yet there were enough similarities to not question the sisterly relationship, "…Dawn. Next to her is Willow and at the end is Xander…Yes we are your across the way neighbors. We just moved here ourselves about a month ago. We're taking a holiday from…the norm and most of them are going to the local college for at least a little while."

The atmosphere was tense in the silence after the introductions. As if now that they'd met, neither side could displace the absolute certainly that the other wasn't telling the whole truth.

Molly, in her ever welcoming manner, was the first to speak again, "Well would you care to join us in the dinner you so kindly prepared?"

Expecting the man named Giles to speak, Harry was surprised to hear the blonde woman, Buffy say, "Actually yes we would. I think strangely enough we have a lot to discuss but before that we need to gain each others' trust. And what better way then sharing a nice dinner. Willow and Dawn are excellent cooks and bakers…I've tried but seriously lack the skill it takes to make flour, eggs, and sugar become cake."

The whole room gave a soft laugh at Buffy's attempt to lighten the mood. After that, while still hesitant, the room of people rose as a whole and went towards the dining room, Molly asking about what everyone wanted to drink, Ginny helping her mum since Molly had no clue what they had.

The woman named Willow came over to Harry, helping him with setting the table…an awkward chore for him since he hadn't done it since staying with Dursleys, even then it hadn't been in awhile. Usually the Hogwarts table had been set magically in front of them with all their favorite dishes for the picking, or he'd eaten in his room the last few summers at the Dursleys, barely eating at the table, or Molly had magically set the table though he did remember a few times she had made the children do it…without magic. Maybe it had been in preparation for times like this.

"Sorry we invaded your house Harry, we tend to be a curious bunch and we tend to stick together," Willow said, her voice soft under the undercurrent of mundane conversation around them. The man named Xander was helping Hermione uncover the dishes of food that he had to admit smelled quite appetizing. Buffy, Ron and Ginny were busy in the open kitchen with Molly pouring everyone drinks. Giles and Arthur were trying, unsuccessfully to help.

Harry turned back to Willow, realizing that his anger from earlier hadn't really been valid. "You knew I was your neighbor back at the bookstore, didn't you?" he asked, surprising both of them "You weren't staring at me, but all of us?"

"Well actually yes, its something that we're going to explain. I have this feeling both of us have a lot to explain. Probably only the general of who and…"she paused, her brown-golden eyes questioning, "what we are will be explained tonight, the rest we'll learn after we've learned to trust one another."

Ginny handed them each a cup of tea, then hurried on to the rest of the crowd.

Harry, though cautious, smiled in reply to Willow's statement, "To potential friends." He tapped his cup to hers, then sipped the hot brew.

Her shoulders visibly relaxing, "I'll second that," she replied and sipped her tea as well.

Tonight, to say the least, was going to be an interesting night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dedication: To my reviewers! Thanks for the constructive criticism and the ideas you didn't know you gave me. It helped developed this chapter and the upcoming one.

The dinner was a quiet affair except for murmurs of appreciation for the food and talks of the college and the courses being taken that semester.

Soon though dinner neared an end. Arthur was the first to excuse himself, saying he had to use the lavatory. Once upstairs he sent a Patronus message to Bill who was at the Burrow with Fleur. The two had settled there for a short while after all that had gone on the past year. He told Bill not to worry, but something… "interesting"… was developing, as such, Molly and himself were going to stay for a few days. He'd let Bill know if anything came up.

A few minutes later, he returned to find Harry about to address the group as they were finishing up their desserts. Molly placed a piece of pie in front of him as he sat. He smiled his thanks, noticing the Willow girl eyeing him though he was not quite sure why.

Harry's strong voice broke the silence. "Willow spoke to me earlier saying that we had, basically, a lot to learn about each other," Harry looked around at the faces. He almost felt like he was at a DA-Dumbledore's Army meeting. "We did a toast towards a potential hopeful friendship," Ginny reached out and grabbed his hand, Harry squeezed it smiling down at her.

"I have this feeling that while our information could shock most, it quite possibly won't you. I'm betting we each have a tale to tell," he focused his questioning gaze to Willow. "Your eyes grew wide when Arthur had gone upstairs," Harry sought Arthur eyes, asking if he was going in the right direction. Arthur nodded encouragingly, knowing Harry was the best person for this.

"I'm pretty sure he had used the time he was upstairs to send what we call a Patronus message. Probably letting his son, Bill and daughter-in-law, Fleur, know that Mrs. Weasley and him would be longer than they'd anticipated---"

"Is a Patronus message some English version of a text message?" Xander asked, he had a tendency to come up with questions like that.

Hermione choked on her pie as she smothered laughter, Ron tapped her on the back. She waved his hand away but reaching out to hold that hand again under the table. Her eyes turned an apologetic glance towards Xander, "Sorry but that's what my father asked---not exactly, as we are British, but," she blushed. "He asked if it was some version of text messaging."

Xander smiled, his pirate eye mask shifting as his expression turned boyish, "No Prob..um Hermione?"

She nodded in acknowledgement with a smile, then waved for Harry to continue. He smiled at Xander liking the man for his laid back attitude, though Harry was pretty certain he'd be a formidable opponent in a battle, even with one eye. "Well its more like a video voice message," he explained vaguely looking back towards Willow. "The thing is, a Patronus, in simplest terms is the result of a powerful magical spell--" the whole room grew tense as they realized what Harry was saying. "it's a charm to ward off what we call Dementors. It takes a lot of concentration as you have to gather good thoughts usually in the most dangerous moments."

"As Arthur was just using his to send a message, he wasn't using the full strength of his power, plus he's had a lot of practice. Nevertheless, you…Willow, felt the powers being used. Though us who know the power, are so use to it, we don't usually feel it."

Surprising everyone, including his fellow witches and wizards, he pulled out his wand and said, "Expecto Patronum", his wand steady with long practice, a willowy white substance came out of it, forming the shape of a white stag. It galloped harmlessly around the room before it slowly dissipated.

The room was so silent you could have heard a pin drop. Harry glanced around then turned back to Willow, whose face was still turned towards where his white stag had disappeared to. She must have felt his gaze for she turned back to him, her eyes wide with wonder but a slight fear.

He smiled trying to show they weren't something to be afraid of. "Each wizard or witch has their own Patronus, though this can change depending on the wizards' moods," he thought of Tonks, "or desires," he thought of Snape. "Mine has always been the white stag. Hermione's is an otter, Ginny's is a horse, Ron's…a Jack Russell terrier, Arthur's…a," he grinned, "weasel and so on," he paused allowing his gaze to go around the room to each neighbor. Xander's mouth was literally hanging open. Buffy looked like she was trying to figure out whether to start fighting or recruit them. Giles was fingering his books, Dawn and Willow seemed simply to be in awe. Hermione and the Weasleys seemed to have realized what he was doing and had settle back comfortably into their seats, Arthur still finishing up his pie.

"We're wizards and witches--although Hermione and I didn't find out till we were invited to Hogwarts, a wizarding…the best wizarding school based in England. We belong to a whole wizarding world governed…more or less…by the Ministry of Magic, though Kingsley Shacklebolt just stepped in as the Minister, so things in that regard should start getting better. Your President, the Prime Minister and other world leaders know of our existence. Besides Muggle…nonmagical beings…muggle family members of witches and wizards not many people know of us. If by chance they find out through spells used in front of or against them, a mind eraser spell is used to keep our secrets," Harry took a breath and stopped unsure of what more to say, afraid he was saying too much but also not enough.

"If I may? Harry?" Giles spoke up. Harry sat down, gratefully. Giles looked towards the scoobies then the what he now knew for sure were wizards and witches. "To put it simply, until it comes to a time to tell our story, I have some interesting ties, especially in England, though I've only been there briefly on and off the past seven or so years." He picked up a book, "I had this book sent to me from my ties in England. I had remembered something when Willow had mentioned her feelings about the house and we heard about the rumors that the owner of the house's name was Potter. That jogged my memory and I remembered these journals by another Watcher…I'll explain later what that is…about twenty years ago…well probably more like eighteen," he let that significance settle in, noticing the whole group was listening attentively and tensely. "I talked to the watcher about some of what's in this journal before this was written. He mentioned he knew something about this world that the watchers didn't. He said he was a Squib…"

Harry and his friends gasped… "Really…a Squib?" Ron said, his eyes wide.

"So that does mean something in your world?" Giles asked, he'd been unsure before now whether to believe everything the journals had said, now he knew he was heading in the right track. "Last night was the first night I actually read the whole journal. The Watcher Counsel had deemed it impertinent to our purpose and had said it very unlikely that a group, such as themselves, that had been around for a very long time had never heard of this world of witches and wizards," Giles shook his head in disgust. "We have learned that the Watcher Counsel isn't always the smartest blokes in the world. Don't get me wrong they are very book intelligent but thinking beyond the realms of their dusty books they have in their library is quite hard for them."

He paused, glancing around at the proof he ignored long ago. "Since I hadn't had the experience I do now being Buffy's Watcher, back at that time I had ignored the man as the rest of the counsel had done. 'He was just mixing reality with fantasy.' They had said. 'We know witches, wizards sorcerers, Wicca, demons, vampires, Slayers, and many other things exist out there'…as we knew it there were only a relatively few number of wizards and witches out in the world…not a whole large population that lived among us, a whole world the existed in and of itself."

Giles looked at Harry, "He was right though, the watcher. Short as it is, his story was real. He was at a place called Godric's Hollow--" Harry's eyes widened, Giles noticed Ginny squeezing his hand in a comforting gesture. "He was keeping an eye on a roaming bunch of well…vampires," Harry flinched remembering his own encounters with them. "The watcher…squib…his name is…was Chet Riley, was distracted by a green light flash in a building." Molly's soft gasp interrupted, but she wave him on even as she leaned into Arthur, her eyes worriedly glancing at Harry. "He explains that he knew what that flash was. He had written, 'just because he was a squib didn't mean he didn't have the knowledge or ability to know and see through the veil that Muggles would have seen'. The house was the Potter's home, a family that was well known to the wizarding world, according to him. He'd just been about to try and go help, though not sure how besides using his Watcher abilities…which since the spells and everything we know has never been tested …or so he and I believe, on a wizard and witch of your world…was going to be a dare and a serious risk on his life. However the vampires he'd been seeking found him and he was distracted trying to save his own self."

He paused, taking a breath and a sip of his now cold tea. He must have made a bitter face at the taste because suddenly a teapot was in front of him, pouring a hot batch of warm tea. Giles wasn't quite surprised to see that the teapot was moving on its own, refreshing anybody's cup who had tea. Soda cans and bottles of water emerged from the kitchen going to the people who'd asked for it before. He automatically looked at Willow though he knew it wasn't her. She grabbed a soda that had gently bumped her hand. She caught his gaze and smiled…hesitantly, popping the tab on the soda with a shrug.

"Please continue Mr. Giles," Molly said after everyone had their refreshments they hadn't realized they needed.

"Please just Giles, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Giles reminds me of my Dad and trust me, this isn't a good thing."

Mrs. Weasley nodded, "Then please call me Molly." She smiled, "And please continue."

Giles focused on the rest of group realizing they were all waiting, patiently for him to continue. Even the ones he was sure knew the story, well at least a side of it, seemed intrigued as to what he knew through Chet's journals. His gaze finally fell on Harry's scar, then down to the young man's green eyes. They reminded Giles, sadly, of Buffy's eyes--not the color but the hurts and sorrow they held hidden deeply within.

"In his journal, he explained that in your world, he was only a squib, as I've said, however I need to explain to the Scoobies what that is…according to Chet it means he was of magical descent, so not a muggle, but he couldn't do magic. Usually they don't function in either world that well since they know about their world but can't do any magic, but what they know doesn't help them in our world either. As a Watcher he bugger upped the Squib status through different means, it was strange for him to live in the Muggle world as something that he couldn't even be close to as a Squib."

Molly nodded her head sadly, "Many squibs are kicked out of their families. They try to survive in our world, many are shop owners or work at Hogwarts and possibly the other schools, but others are stuck kind of between this world and the Muggle world, having no education from either source because their magical parents didn't want to bothered with them or didn't, quite simply, know how to handle them."

Giles nodded his understanding and thanks, but continued on without much more pause. "After seeing the green light in the Potter house, he wasn't able to survey the damage until the next day and realized that rumors from his birth world were true. That a man--he had a very hard time saying this…you could tell because he kept crossing out phrases like "He-who-shall-not-be-named" and "You-know-who", finally he said that Voldermort, a dark Lord, must have done it…Desperate for news he sought out a newspaper from your world and saw that the Potters had died, their son, Harry Potter, had lived--this boy had become a hero, being a mere baby, because he had survived a death curse and this man, Voldermort, had been defeated." Giles paused as he realized the room had grown very quiet, everyone was staring at him or the journals intently. Harry was staring at them, but his eyes were far away, Ginny held his hand tightly, rubbing his arm with her other hand.

Giles softened his voice, "That Harry Potter was you? Wasn't it Harry?"

Everyone turned their gaze to Harry who nodded slightly in reply. The wizards and witches gazes were in sympathy for they already knew the whole story, even more than the Giles could possibly know. The scoobies sat in awe, going from gazing at Harry's scar to his eyes.

"This was all that Chet wrote, he died an unexplained death in his hotel room in London while he'd been finding out information from his old…your world…we couldn't even find anything from what we knew to see how he would have died."

Giles ended his tale, sitting down, pushing the journals into the middle of the table as if offering them to anyone who wanted to read it. No one reached for them though Harry looked at them…the title on the front of the top journal said, "The Journal(s) of a Watcher Squib." His mouth turned up in a slight smile at that.

"I bet…Voldermort or a Death Eater found out about him. A wizard who functioned in the world even without powers," Ron said, he'd been saying Voldermort's name easier now that he was dead. He turned to Giles, "I'm guessing a Watcher, from what you've said and hinted at, would have certain skills, even in magic," at Giles slight nod, Ron turned back to the group as a whole, feeling slightly uncomfortable with all the eyes on him. "This would be the ultimate betrayal to Voldermort. A blood traitor, squib no less, helping muggles and able to do magic though not in the traditional sense."

Giles seemed to be thinking about it, "Is there such a curse that exists that kills without a reason why?" he asked, thinking of spells he learned as a watcher, knowing none of them were the same as this crew's.

This time Harry spoke up, his voice quiet but firm, "Yes. Its considered one of the three Unforgivable Curses, in fact, the top unforgivable curse…the Killing Curse, it would have been the cause of the green light Chet had seen through the windows. The one that caused...in a never happened before or since incident that caused the scar on my forehead, instead of my death. No one is supposed to survive this curse…I have twice, well I guess, three times were a direct hit. Once that night, twice only a few months ago," Ginny squeezed his hands again. "Voldermort died using that curse on me…he'd been using a wand meant for me. A wizards wand," he pulled out his from earlier. "Will not be used against its rightful owner. So a long reign of terror, with a slight pause from my baby years to my first year at school, ended but not before we lost many friends and…" he glanced at the Weasleys, "..family. There's still those out there who believed in Voldermort. However, right now they're in hiding…To end the story, that is why we're here to regroup, its been a long seven years, many good memories but also many bad."

Giles nodded somberly…" I guess it has…" was all he could think to say. He paused glancing towards his group. "Now that you have told your story or at least the basics, I think we should explain our side--- I believe we came here all at the same time for a reason," he was also thinking of the nearby vampires that were more than they sounded like. "Though I'm unclear as to what that reason is. However I feel we should at least start to get to know each other before that reason comes to light."

Sniffling, sad from the memories of the past year, thinking of George's twin, Fred, Molly stood up, "Why don't we freshen our drinks and head into the living room?" she suggested. Everybody agreed, stretching as they stood.

They took a quick break, silent but working together to clear the table. Since everyone knew of the magic, Molly simply cast one of her cleaning spells, Willow looking on in awe, Harry had a smile on his face remembering his first time at the burrow. Molly let her magic do the work while she joined the somber group in the other room. She joined her husband who sat next to George, who was awfully quiet, she patted her son's knee in an overt comforting gesture. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny had taken up the sectional again. Giles sat in a chair alone and the other four were squeezed on the other large couch.

The girl named Buffy spoke from her spot next to her sister, the two sat sandwiched between Willow and Xander. Molly wondered idly what had happened to the boy, thinking of her own sons. George with his one ear and Bill slashed badly by a werewolf. George now had a scruffy hairstyle she had to stop the urge to trim up because it covered his lack of an ear.

"We just wanted to say thank you for sharing your side of the story," the young blonde hair woman's voice was strong and steady. Molly could tell this was the actual leader of the group. She felt a slight pain that it seemed one of the youngest of each group were the leader-like figures. She could see the young lady had a lot of trial in her relatively young life…Molly was a mother, she could sense these things…and they were about to hear the reasons why, if not some of those trials.

Buffy smiled around the group, "There's a legend… 'In every generation there will be one in all the world, one who will fight evil…A Slayer'…I'm technically the one though, through reasons I'll explain soon, we do now have a lot more. I found out when I was in high school about eight years ago," she smiled again her face growing young and carefree.

Humor was in her voice when she continue, "My mom and I had just moved to Sunnydale because of an incident at my last school involving a blown up gymnasium…My sister, well she hadn't quite existed yet, but I'll get to that as well," she put her hand on her sister's knee as she said this, patting it gently. "I was a bratty, trying to be preppy girl who was trying to fit in a new school but soon I found out I was the slayer--that I was destined to put my life at danger, I had the strength to fight the evil of the world and Giles, the librarian, fittingly enough, was my Watcher. Which, as we have talked about them a lot already tonight, is the person every slayer has, our guardian, our trainer, our...watcher. There's a council of them for all the potentials...well now actual slayers out there. I don't like the counsel that much, if you couldn't guess by Giles' comment, they aren't the best group in the world and need some street lessons--"

George smiled, chuckling next to Molly, interrupting Buffy. "Like our Ministry of Magic?"

"Watch it son," Arthur spoke up in a false offended tone, smiling. He turned to the rest of the group, "I'm technically a Ministry employee, I've been promoted since Kingsley became Minister, but like we've said before the Ministry has had some bad years…like your counsel they have been quite set in their ways and easy for manipulation…and in the magical world…this is even more of a bad thing."

Giles nodded, "Yes, in our part of what you call the Muggle world, being easy for manipulation isn't good either, especially when you're a Watcher."

Arthur nodded in understanding agreement then turned to Buffy, "Continue on love."

Buffy smiled, it kind of looking reminiscent, "You just reminded me of a…a person when you said that…Anyway…moving on…" she paused as if collecting her thoughts. "So I find out I'm a slayer and I soon find out that the very high school…the very library where I had trained with Giles was right over a Hellmouth--a place where vampires and evil beings congregate around because it's a portal for them to go through, it's a place where the most evil of things can come through, the vampires and demons on this side of the seal wait in places like Sunnydale for the day they can join the fight…us who are on the good side stay around the Hellmouth to prevent the fight from beginning…"

"Back then we had another Scooby member, Cordelia, she's working with Angel…or rather was…actually that's a whole 'nother story," Buffy paused again, shaking her head, Molly could tell she was trying to focus on the important factors of her story. "Well we've been through quite a many battles. I met Angel, a vampire who long ago had his soul cursed back into him. Imagine someone doing many evil things then suddenly having a conscience and remembering all those things…He had lived a hard life for a long while before he started using his strength and knowledge for good. He and I had some rough times and I won't go into too much detail at this moment because tonight is just basics, but know he is a good vampire and is doing a lot to help those in LA."

"That first year I met Xander and Willow, neither of them knew of their potential but helped me anyway with what I had to do… My daily life is slaying vampires, occasionally demons come into play. That first year it was The Master and I was part of a prophecy…which slayers tend to be…to not be too descriptive the Master tried to kill me, Xander used CPR, revived me, and I killed the Master."

"Blimey.." George murmured.

Buffy smiled, she liked the boy, though, perhaps, young man was a better description. "That first year was actually not too bad, it was just the first year of many years through many battles and many almost apocalypses. Willow found she was a witch, obviously not as you all are, but a witch nonetheless. She had her fun moments, her unbelievably grand moments...one most recently, and some very bad moments. Xander is our strong protector keeping us grounded in the real world. Angel helped a lot, until well I killed him…He's obviously made it back since he's in LA continuing on with the battle there. Giles has guided us all, breaking many counsel rules, and finding out he has his own unique abilities as a wizard, though I would say a more quiet wizard…its hard to explain," she smiled at Giles, her eyes glowing warmly. "He's like a father to me and I really don't know what I would do without him, though he's tried to prove I can survive without him. I," she laughed, "don't believe him."

She turned to her sister, squeezing her hand. "Dawn is a little harder to explain, she's my sister, I remember holding her as a baby. And yet I never really truly knew her as a baby. She was created by monks to hold in a secret mystical power within her, she was considered a Key. We had memories planted inside us to make us believe she'd always been part of the family, only people who were…not all there, could tell who she was. The being she was hidden from found out Dawn was the Key, the Key into another Dimension where this evil being wanted to go back to, Dawn would have had to sacrifice herself to safe the world…"

"Instead Buffy did it for me," Dawn cut in. "Even though she knew I wasn't her real sister. Well in the truest sense of the word at least. However, we're sisters at heart and to her and I that's all that matters," Dawn said…knowing the next part of her sister's story would be close to the hardest, trying to give her a moment to get it all figured out. Ron, George and the rest of the Weasley's looked at Harry and knew what it meant to have family, though they weren't technically family. Ginny squeezed his hand, Harry smiled reluctantly, knowing he had a family in the Weasleys but still finding it hard to believe sometimes. "I was kind of a rough sister to have though, even after the whole 'my sister sacrificed herself for me' thing," she sighed. "…I should have gotten the hint, but I didn't. I had abandonment issues and some serious kleptomaniac issues. Even after explanations were given later I was basically a brat, even this past year I've had my moments but I'm slowly growing up."

Buffy threw an arm around her sister, hugging her close, "She's just a normal younger sister who can be slightly annoying to her older sister but also loved very much by her older sister and the rest of us…and she has grown up, I tried to send her away before this latest battle with Xander but she would have none of that."

Dawn smiled, "Love you too sis."

"If you sacrificed yourself, Buffy, to open up another Dimension, how did you return?" Harry asked after a few minutes, everyone had been letting the sisters have their moment, but he was wondering. Thinking all his near deaths and his time, especially, with Dumbledore not long ago.

"Well," Willow spoke up, her already naturally pale face becoming paler. "I was kind of an obsessive witch at that point and I knew this powerful spell that could bring back someone. We thought she might be stuck in some Hell Dimension, not thinking of anything else but that we wanted her back. Well we did the spell…I did the spell, with another witch's help," her brown eyes grew sad. "Xander and Anya, she's a long story as well, helped as well."

Buffy cut in, her free hand grasping Willow's entwined hands, "She brought me back, but hadn't realized the spell had worked because it had been interrupted. Sunnydale was in a chaos when I came back…I had been in my grave, dug out…as a slayer I have strength that quadruples those of normal…um Muggles," she used the word thinking it was nice to finally give a word to other humans, though knowing she technically was a Muggle.

"I didn't know why I was back in the world, I didn't know what was going on, I was scared. It took me a long time to come around. I didn't tell my friends, who had been feeling guilty enough as it was because of my confused state, that they had taken me from what I believe was Heaven or like it at least," a couple of gasps from the witches and wizards emitted. Molly's face, the mother in the group, the saddest looking. Almost as if she wanted to run over to the girl and give her a very big hug. Only Arthur's grip of her hand kept her seated.

"Well Blimey," George murmured again, his voice a mixture of awe and sadness. The ones close to him knew he was thinking of his own lost one, so was everyone actually. All the lost souls they hoped were in better places.

"The only…um person, he was another vampire, who well helped us because he had a chip in his head and couldn't harm us, and he was kind of obsessed with me…anyway…I told him when I couldn't tell my friends. Then this dancing and singing demon came and casted a spell that lasted about a day, but it made us tell things we would have usually kept quite." She waved her hand in very none Buffy like way, but in a way that reminded all the scoobies of her mother.

"Anyhow, that vampire that, um sort of, helped us was Spike. He towards the end fought to gain a soul, though not what he'd been searching for at the time. He has, had a soul," Buffy's eyes grew very sad, but she was determined to go on.

"And that, in a way, leads us to basically why we're here. There's many other stories and tales, people, beings that we haven't included but that have been important parts of our battles and lives. Many enemies that we have fought from human to vampire to demons to something in-between. Many apocalypses. However, none of that compared to this latest battle. It involved the ultimate evil… "The First Evil" who was trying to start a large army of ultra strong vampires, called Ubervamps. We weren't sure if we were going to survive this one, we only had us, our friends and the few potential slayers we had gathered for training, their potential status giving them strengths that if honed could be useful…but really not powerful enough to fight off the evil army."

"I'm not going to go into details right now, lets just say that we found a weapon meant for me and with Willow's help we used it to make all our potentials…which though there are thousands in the world, we only had about twenty or thirty potentials, who turned into actual Slayers after Willow did a spell to reverse the one that had invoked the whole one in every generation blah blah blah crap," she gave a soft laugh.

"With the help of this power, and an amulet given to me by Angel, but meant for Spike," she choked on the word, remembering… "Spike sacrificed himself," she smiled sadly, "He was always a little crazy. He might have been a vampire, and even with a soul, an annoying vampire but he loved me in his own way and he knew this about me--my friends meant a lot to me, so he did it. And the amulet's power, with Spike's sacrifice, killed off the Ubervamps and totally destroyed the cavern where The First had risen up its army. The Hellmouth at Sunnydale is no longer in existence…as the town is now a large crater that scientists are finding hard to explain," she sighed. "But there are other Hellmouths out there, so the evil is still out there. But for now we have a what we can weakly call a break."

As Buffy took a large gulp of her water she now had, Giles finished off for her, "She's shortened the story by a lot, as we all have, but she's gotten the basics out. She's a slayer, I'm a watcher, Willow is a witch though she's careful with her power…well at least nowadays, Spike and Angel were and are vampires, the very beings she's trained to attack but both have souls and have helped in our battles--"

Harry nodded, "--and we're witches and wizards of a large wizarding world even you didn't know about. I think we learned a lot about each other, though I know you're right in that we have a lot more to learn. Similarities exist in our stories and I agree there must be a reason we've all come together…"

"Well there's more, I haven't even told my people this, but there's a group of vampires nearby" gasps emitted across the room. "I don't know how vampires are in your world, but in ours, they can't exist in the sunlight, they can be killed by a wooden stake to the heart, sunlight, fire, and can be affected by garlic, crosses and holy water. But apparently there's another breed, the leader heard of us being near their town and contacted me. I've heard of rumors of other breeds but like witches and wizards like you I've never seen proof."

"There's vampires near here?" Arthur asked, automatically drawing his wand but not really threatening, just in seeming preparation. Everyone seemed to have tensed preparation but disbelieve mode, as if they couldn't believe their holiday/vacation from past battles were already at an end.

"Yes there are, in the next town over, Forks," Giles remained talking calmly, trying to ease the tension in the room. He had to kind of smile to himself because it looked as if this group were already ready to head into battle together. "But put your stakes and wands away. While these vampires are vampires, they're a different breed entirely. The one who came to me, his name was Carlisle, lives among humans, he's apparently a doctor in town…I've researched this and there is Dr. Cullen, very respected man. Apparently, Carlisle says, his family…yes that's right family…are a group of vampires but they don't feed on human blood. Like Angel and later Spike, they feed off animal blood. But unlike Angel and Spike, Carlisle approached me in the daylight, it was a cloudy day but it would have been bright enough to affect the vampires we know. He said he would explain in detail…if we would come to Sunday dinner at their house," he grimaced at what those words sounded like.

"He said if we felt more comfortable doing so he would understand if we felt the need to bring weapons, some would affect them, but apparently not all of them. Again he said he would explain and there would be another there who could vouch for them." Giles sighed, the group still was tensed, though the witches and wizards had hidden their wands he was sure not all had known they had pulled their wands out in the first place…He actually had been scared for a moment, something very hard for him to do. He hadn't been scared for himself because he knew the witches and wizards would never harm him unless he did something to prove them otherwise but he had seen the intent look in their eyes, it was the same eyes Buffy and the other scoobies got when ready for a hunt…

"I told him I might be inviting some more people that seemed to have their own story," Giles looked towards Harry. "If you and your group would come, I have this feeling that this meeting is important…just as important as this one tonight had been."

Harry glanced at the rest of the group, his gaze resting on Ginny, she squeezed his hand and spoke the answer for him and all of them, "I think we should, if Giles trusts this vampire enough to at least see what he has to say. I think we should go. We've already discovered that none of us know everything about the magical, evil, 'normal' world. Like others have said tonight, I think there's a reason for all of us to come together and I think that if these vampires prove to be on the good side, they might prove to be formidable allies."

The room was tense, but slowly, one by one, they agreed that they would all go, on Sunday, to the Cullen's.

"I'm definitely bringing a stake," Buffy was the last to murmur her agreement though she knew there were good vampires out there. She believed there were only two with souls and one of them had died.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

"He had to say spiders..." Ron's familiar changing voice squeaked.

Harry and him were following the spiders but this time Harry didn't know why. His sleeping body shifted in agitation. They had already done this back in their second year to eventually learn what they needed to learn to rescue Ginny from the Basilisk and Voldermort in the Chamber of Secrets.

The forest looked different as well. Ron and him continued to follow the spiders however. Harry was beginning to feel a sense of urgency. This confused him, even in dream state he knew Voldermort was no longer a threat, his scar no longer burned. However his stomach was churning with fear and uneasiness.

They followed the spiders through the dense forest until a clearing emerged. Suddenly Harry's heart and stomach plummeted together in terror as his blood began to boil with anger.

Two vampires, pale skinned and their face kind of different looking, were about to attack Ginny and Hermione. Harry raised his wand...

"Harry!" Ginny's scream and calm voice mingled together making the Harry in the dream hesitate. "Harry come on its just a nightmare--" Ginny's calm voice made the terrifying scene of the Vampire's sharp teeth sinking into Ginny's neck disappear. He woke up with a start, sitting up abruptly, automatically reaching for Ginny's hand.

Calm brown eyes were the first things he saw when he fully work up and focused his own eyes. She gave a small warm smile, "Just a dream love," she murmured, weaving her free hand over his disheveled hair.

He hugged her close assuring himself she was still his Ginny. After a few moments he pushed her gently away, lightly kissing her and murmuring, "Thanks, I needed that."

She smiled then rose from the edge of the bed. "Now go and get ready, its our first day of school!"

Harry smiled, the scene from his nightmare disappearing...at least for now. "You sound like your Mum, Gin."

Chuckling Ginny walked towards the door but paused before she opened it. "Be glad it wasn't Mum, she heard you the same time I did," her eyes asked questions she didn't voice.

"It was only a nightmare Gin, nothing to worry about. Voldermort is dead. It wasn't even related to any of that,"...not really, Harry added to himself, hoping to assure her and hoping she wouldn't ask for more.

Ginny nodded in understanding and left without a word.

Dragging himself out of bed, he could hear noises down the hallway of others waking up. Last night, with the talk ending late and knowing college started today, they had headed straight to bed after the scoobies had left. Harry smiled to himself, he liked the name Zander had long before made for Buffy and her "gang".

He headed for the master's bath took a quick shower then grabbed some clothes. He was happy he'd thought to buy some new muggle clothes before he left England. He threw on a quite normal looking tee and jeans.

He packed his shoulder bag with the books he would need for the day, consulting his schedule and all of his syllabi to make sure he had remembered everything. Then Harry made his way downstairs to join everyone else.

Smelling delicious aromas coming from the dining room he hurried down the steps and almost laughed at all the sights before him. Molly must have been having fun with the

American Muggle cookbook Ginny had brought at the college bookstore yesterday. Ginny caught his smirk and winked, hiding her own giggle has she dug into her pancakes. Harry realized he too was very hungry, good thing too, considering the pile of food on the table.

"I made these things called Grits, apparently a U.S. South thing, George and Arthur like them," Molly told Harry after he had sat down and she sat a glass of orange juice in front of him. She was holding up a spoonful of a cream colored porridge-like substance. "I don't like it though so don't feel as if you have to eat everything. I'm going to send leftovers to Bill, Fleur and Charlie." She watched Harry, with a slightly concerned look, waiting till he began to dig in before continuing on her own exploration of the food she had cooked.

"What courses are you taking Ginny?" Molly asked after finishing off her eggs and moving onto her sausage biscuits and gravy.

Ginny looked around the table, trying to remember what all she was taking. "Apparently you have to take English Composition 101, no matter what you're studying otherwise, so we're all taking that, even George. Then Harry and I are taking Introduction to Mythology along with Calculus. All of us, besides George, are taking Chemistry 101, we though it would be fun--"

Ron snorted, Hermione elbowed him under the table and he snorted again, "Hey!" he rubbed his side, then laughed. "Ginny and Hermione thought it would be fun. Harry and I are just going along for the ride--"

"--And," Ginny gave an annoyed looked, perfect form of a younger sister. "Because it would be neat to see how it differs and is similar to Potions." She gave her older brother a last glare then turned back to her mom. "Harry and I are also taking French I, it would be nice to sort of understand Fleur at times when she forgets to speak English." The whole table chuckled at that.

"I'm taking World History I with Ron as well as Spanish 101," Hermione smiled, squeezing Ron's hand under the table. "He's again just along for the ride, but oh well, he has to be able to learn something taking the class." She paused, scooping a mouthful of a very filled omelet in her mouth. After she swallowed it and a sip of orange juice she continued, "I'm also taking Advance Calculus as well."

George nodded, "And we're all taking a supplemental computer course, its only a month long, one day a week, but we figured it would help us, for those of us who weren't around computers that much."

Nodding Molly smiled, "Sounds interesting." She really didn't understand most of the Muggle world but remembered vague pieces of it from her classes in Muggle Studies long ago at Hogwarts. Calculus she knew was math and Chemistry a science. She was really hoping they never would ask for her help, she chuckled to herself at the thought. "You know, its odd not taking any of you to Platform 9 3/4s," she added idly almost to herself. The others smiled sadly but fondly. Ron and Harry glanced at each other each remembering that Ron had missed the train once and Harry had barely rode the train for some reason or another. However the Hogwarts Express was dearly missed.

They finished the rest of their breakfast quietly nobody really discussing yesterday's meeting, not wanting to get into a discussion about it right now. They headed out soon after, Molly and Arthur were going to make a trip back to the Burrow while they were gone, luckily Bill, Fleur, and Charlie were going to get some variety of foods and not just the grits.

The young adults said good bye to the older couple then climbed in their SUV and traveled to the college. Talking about the particular classes they had that day. They all had English Comp. that morning, their individual language classes next, then World History or Intro to Mythology next. George only had classes Tuesdays and Thursdays, even the computer class was on Tuesdays, so he drove today--Harry and Hermione also had gotten their driver's license. Ron and Ginny had decided that would be enough between all of them.

They all glanced at the house across the street, noticing that one of the two cars that had been there yesterday was gone. "They must be starting today too," Ginny murmured, her eyes watching the house as if it would give more answers.

"I trust them love," Harry murmured, squeezing her hand as she sat next to him in the back seat. He knew was she was thinking and he wanted to assure her. "I just hope the Cullens will be trustworthy as well."

Ginny nodded and all the others murmured their agreement.

The rest of the day was non-eventful. The school was small enough that classes were easy to find. No moving staircases or Towers to climb up. All the buildings were two stories, a couple with basements and reflective of the New England old college campuses on the opposite side of the country. Their English class, while they all agreed they thought the professor slightly odd, he reminded them a bit of Professor Quirrell from their first year, they had enjoyed it enough. Their language classes were fun, Ron said the Spanish professor, Professora Cole reminded them of McGonagall in the way she seemed tough but cared about her students, sincerely cared about them it seemed. Ginny said their French Professor, Madame Webb, reminded her of her Mum...a bit exuberant but knows what she's doing. Their World History and Mythology teachers were decent enough. George agreed his business professors were also good, he said Zander were in most of them so they had sat together. Dawn had been in their English Comp class, George had sat next to her though they hadn't had a chance to talk.

They ended up back home the same time Arthur and Molly arrived. Molly began cooking supper, Arthur was reading a Muggle newspaper that had been dropped off during the day, and the others actually did a little studying. Ron and Harry's studying was more of reading the new Quidditch magazine Molly had brought back with her.

Molly cooked a more traditional Wizard dinner but still cooked as if all her family and their friends were eating with them. Luckily it was easier to share the food as a Witch even with them living across a continent and an ocean. They told Molly and Arthur about their day, mentioning their odd English professor.

"He just seemed overly timid, as if it were his first class," Hermione explained. "He's been there for twenty years, but we all said he reminded us of Professor Quirrell."

"If he'd been wearing a turban, I'd have been freaked," Ron added, stuffing a piece of fried chicken in his mouth.

Arthur appeared thoughtful for a moment but then seemed to dismiss whatever he was thinking, "We're all most likely going to feel a little uneasy around strangers, especially after all that has happened. Give him a chance. But if you have anymore uneasy feelings around him let me or a member of the Order know. There is still Death Eaters and other bad wizards and witches out there. Also, with all Buffy and the Scooby Gang told us yesterday he might be something completely different that we've never experienced before. Blimey, he might be an extended member of the Cullen family."

"I agree with Arthur, remember we thought Snape was on the wrong side the whole time, and it shows that Dumbledore was completely right to trust him all along," Harry murmured thinking of the memories that still haunted him. He felt guilty for the way he treated Snape but yet he knew there had been really no other way. Unless Voldermort had never come back in the first place.

*****************

Buffy was having her own memories. Spike was still in her dreams and just as he had been alive, he was annoyingly always there. She really wished that she would stop falling in love with vampires. She had such bad luck with them.

First she falls in love with Angel, formerly Angelus, her brooding vampire that had lived a long and until Spike unique life as a vampire with a soul. Considering that soul had come after years of mass murder, Angel had taken awhile to get past wanting to die and realizing he could use his extra strength, agility and speed as a vampire to help fight the battle. He fought that battle a long time alone until he heard the latest slayer, Buffy, needed help. Then they had fought side by side and she had fallen in love.

However, his soul had come about as the result of a curse by gypsies in retribution for a lost daughter. Angelus would have a soul, could call himself Angel, could try to escape and help the world. However if he ever found true happiness he would lose his soul. He loved Buffy too. They found one night of true happiness and she ended up having to kill the man...vampire she loved. He came back from a hell dimension, more broken then when he had first received his soul long before. Buffy nursed him back to this reality and they continued to fight the battle together, just not quite as together as they were. Soon after he had moved to Los Angeles.

During that time she had met Spike, sired long before by a vampire named Drusilla who was in turned sired by none other than Angelus. Spike and Angel had had "fun" way back in those long ago years before Angelus had become Angel. Together the created even more terror for an already unsettled Europe and Asia. They weren't exactly what could be called friends even long before...vampires of that type don't really become friends and it didn't help that Spike was devoted to his sire Drusilla who was, at that time, Angelus' girlfriend. Drusilla probably hadn't helped much because she had her own uniqueness of not always being there. If Harry had known her, he'd probably say she reminded him of Professor Trelawney turned vampire. Except her power of "sight" seemed to be more reliable though still just as confusing and still given from a far off away look in her dreamy eyes.

Spike had come back fighting for the opposite sides multiple times until the Scoobies graduated high school...well sort of--Buffy laughed at herself thinking of that battle. She couldn't seem to do anything normal. Her thoughts turned back to Spike, thinking of his bleached hair and the strange addiction he had for her...the Vampire Slayer...a vampire's, without a soul, ultimate goal in killings. He had already killed two slayers and had tried killing her multiple times...not always directly but happily joining those who were trying. Then his obsession took over and a chip that prevented him harming humans was put in his brain by a secret government operation...those together created quite an unique vampire. He went from helping Buffy and her group to trying to pretend the battle...evil or good... didn't exist, escaping from them. But coming back yet again and helping, in his weird manner, them.

She would always be thankful he'd kept an eye out for the Scooby Gang, especially Dawn after she'd sacrificed herself.

They had a few rough and good times after she had come back to life that second time. He had been the first one Buffy told that she thought she'd been in heaven. He'd become the one she could talk to, also the one...well she could escape with. They both did things they very much had regretted. She still remembered one night that had caused him to run away to Africa where Spike had sought out a demon Shaman to partake in the Demon Trials...originally to get rid of the chip in his head hoping he could get back to his "normal" self. Instead, he survived the demanding physical challenges to receive back his soul.

Buffy remembered that time especially, when he had made his way back to the Gang. "The First" had caused a trigger to form in Spike's mind, from a song from his human childhood, to cause Spike...with a soul, to start killing again without realizing he's doing so, whenever the song played--

"Buffy?"

Dawn's voice and soft touch on her shoulder stirred Buffy from her thoughts. Buffy looked up at her younger sister's eyes, realizing just how grown up the young woman was becoming. "Hey Dawn, sorry just thinking..."

"Why don't you do some patrol?" Dawn suggested, knowing Buffy wouldn't talk with her about what had caused the sad look in her eyes. "It seems to help you sometimes."

Buffy jumped up from the sofa, suddenly liking the idea. She grabbed her black smooth leather coat, one to replace her past jackets of the same "Secret Agent" type look. She stuffed a simple wooden stake into one of the pockets, hugged her sister, then walked out into the night air, walking down the road towards the woods that she knew wasn't far from an old cemetery.

She thought idly of the Cullen family who, from Giles' information, apparently didn't live far from here. She wondered what she would learn this Sunday. Already she had learned

of a whole big world of witches and wizards that seemingly didn't even have to really think of using some of their magic. Even she had felt the powerful magic of Harry's when he had produced a...Patronus...if she remembered the name correctly. After all these years you would think she wouldn't have been surprised by anything she had seen in this world. She was sure she wasn't surprise as most "Muggles" wouldn't have been. Nevertheless, Harry, the Weasleys and Hermione had really surprised her. She was still kind of leery of them but she was still eager to learn about them. It helped that they seemed like a nice group of people.

She walked off the road and into the woods, her thoughts returning back to Spike.

Spike had almost died because of his killings...she had tried to keep him from hurting others but no one had known the trigger. Then they found out...one of her current Gang, the high school principal, Wood...a slayer's son, had used the knowledge in his retribution for his mother's death against the vampire who had killed her...Spike. The fight with Wood along with the song and Wood telling the tale, trying to make Spike fully realize that he had not only killed a slayer but a mother had started the process of disenabling the trigger. The song, "Early One Morning", was Spike's trigger for his anger to make him kill because his mom had sang it to him long ago...

Buffy shook her head at the memory. Spike had long ago turned his mother into a vampire...when she'd been on the verge of death, then had had to stake her because she'd been angry at him and nothing like the loving mom he'd remembered. Being a mother's boy before turning a vampire he couldn't understand what he had done that was so bad and why she hadn't continued to love him after he had saved her...at least in his eyes. The story of Wood's and his memories coming clearer made him remember that his mom had always loved him, that she'd just been that way after she'd turned because of what the life and death of a vampire had meant. Knowing of this love, the trigger of the song no longer worked and Spike had to again deal with not only all the past deaths but his most recent ones as well.

Buffy remembered that time, her heart's memory causing her to stumble in the woods. Spike had rejoined the fight, still reluctant to be the good ole guy because it had been his personality, but willing to do anything he could for Buffy. Slowly she became closer to Spike and this time their closeness involved three quiet most recent peaceful nights of her life. All they had done was hold each other and in that their bond tightened and became something more. She remembered him saying it had been the best night of her life...her eyes glazed over as she walked into the cemetery.

As such she didn't see right away the figure coming towards her.

********************

Harry couldn't stop thinking of their last year at Hogwarts, he truly was trying to focus on studying up on his French, recognizing some of the words Fleur had spoken in the past. However his mind wouldn't focus. After last night's telling and worrying about the visit with the Cullens. He wondered if one of the many prophecies broken that night Sirius had died...if another prophecy had said something about all of this. He believed Giles was right that it wasn't just a coincidence that all of them had come here at the same time. He wondered, if ever, he'd be able to just relax.

Knowing tonight wasn't going to be the night, he took his restless mind and body outside, leaving a note for the rest of them. He breathed in the night air, vaguely noticing the full moon lighting his way as he walked towards the woods. He hadn't had a chance to explore the surrounding area since arriving a couple of days ago and wanted to explore the novelty of a forest not full of large spiders, giant brothers and other strange creatures that Harry was sure he really never wanted to meet.

At least he thought this forest wouldn't be as bad as the Forbidden Forest.

**************************

She'd gone on patrol, yet she was surprised to see a vampire. Admittedly her hand went towards the spike in her pocket, then she heard a rustle in the trees and automatically turned towards it surprised to see Harry pulling out his wand. The vampire, able to sense Slayer blood and knowing he was up for a fight immediately started towards her, she swung a kick around and the vampire was slung against a tree, his body landing with a loud clunk. However it didn't seem to affect him for long because he was up and after Buffy again. They went back and forth like that for awhile, Buffy always seeming to land the harder blows. Harry had a feeling that she could have killed him long ago but he felt she was enjoying the fight. As if she was just play fighting with a friend who had at least closer to equal strength as herself.

Another rustle brought all their attention to a man not to far from the fighting duel. Harry, who had slightly lowered his guard, raised his wand again. He could tell this man was a vampire as well but he seemed to be a different type all together.

*************************

Edward took in the scene before him. Alice had warned him that they might have a chance to see this other type of vampire before they heard about it this weekend. She'd sent him out this way, though he had noticed her small sly smile as if she knew what he had been about to witness.

And sure enough it seemed as if there was another type of vampire...For surely he'd never seen his type die quite that way before...

Harry had noticed the other man as well as Buffy, both had been distracted enough for Buffy to get hit hard by the vampire who hadn't noticed the intrusion. Harry acted on instinct...but paused long enough when the vampire seemed to know his intentions and spoke for the first time.

"There's more of us, more of your kind, more of his kind," he nodded his head behind him towards the newcomer though he had never actually seen the man. "They don't know of you...being here...yet, but they will."

Unnerved Harry automatically continued the spell he'd been about to cast, "Immobolus". Buffy and the other man stared as the vampire froze. "Kill him," Harry yelled and watched in shock and awe as she did just that. With a simple stake to the heart the vampire turned to dust before their eyes. "Blimey," Harry murmured, still staring at the spot the dust had settled.

"Um if I was British I'd be saying the same exact thing," Buffy said, obviously not speaking of the same thing Harry was. "You just froze the guy as if it were as easy as pie."

"Its not easy, exactly, but I've done the spell before, there's another one similar to it but you only needed him frozen for a second," Harry said, looking at her with a new respect. "That was some awesome fighting."

She smiled, "Thanks, though I must admit it would have been nice to have known you long before now."

Harry smiled, aware of the compliment, "Thanks."

"I must say," they both turned to the voice, a beautiful voice that was calm, almost too calm. Harry and Buffy both raised their respectful weapons. The man with flawless pale skinned that glowed faintly in the moonlight raised his hands meaning to show no harm. "I was just going to say that if my kind were able to be killed that way it might have been an easier year protecting my girlfriend last year," his eyes glowed golden with the full moon. "I must guess you are the Vampire Slayer, the one my father scheduled a meeting with your Watcher, I believe Mr. Giles is called," his voice held the sound of ages past, yet as he strolled closer he looked no older than Harry himself.

Buffy lowered her stake just slightly. "Why are you out here?"

Edward smiled and even Buffy was taken aback by the beauty in his perfect face. His skin looked flawless, his face sculpted to near perfection. "My sister Alice is what you can vaguely call a person of sight.."

"A vampire? of sight..." Buffy said, knowing yet wondering.

"Yes a vampire of sight. Though I'm sure Alice is unlike many vampires you've ever met. She's a sweetheart and couldn't hurt a fly, she helped my girlfriend last year when she'd been severely injured by another one of our kind. Bella had been bleeding you see, and I don't know how your kind of vampires react to blood but we can smell it, and if its fresh it makes our vampire instincts turn on. Luckily, Alice has been a vegetarian for years and plus she cares for Bella almost as much as I do."

"Um if Bella can bleed does that mean she's..."

"Human," the vampire grimaced. "Yes, she is. I tried not to fall in love with her, it didn't quite work. She's quite determined now to become one of us, I'm still trying to convince her that I'll love her forever no matter how old she becomes." He grimaced again. "Okay well that was too much information. I believe we just heard this other vampire say there were more of him, more of this...wizard," he raised a sculpted eyebrow in question, Harry nodded, his wand still raised. "And more of myself...I'm guessing he didn't mean us Cullens but more of our kind that isn't well...vegetarian. We have no clue what he meant but I have this feeling that we definitely need to discuss this with everybody at the meeting, besides, of course, also when we go home tonight." He turned his gaze to Harry, "I'm going to suppose you're the other group Giles told my father about."

"Yes we are," Harry murmured, lowering his wand, figuring the calm but worried look in the man...vampire's eyes wasn't for show. He too was thinking of what the other vampire had said.

Edward nodded noticing the others' defenses lowering, he was really happy he wasn't like his other vampires. Because now would have been the perfect time to go in for the kill. However, he figured he'd clue them into his own breed's abilities on Sunday. He wasn't quite surprised that he couldn't read either's thoughts...as if being who they were gave them immediate immunity from him. It wasn't the same as Bella's, something about her mind blocking was subconscious but as if some part of her knew to block what was coming. He wasn't sure how he knew this but he was pretty sure that was how it was. "Well I think its been an eventful night, certainly I now understand the reason behind Alice's sly smile. She knew I would meet you and probably knew we all needed this meeting so that way, now, Sunday won't be as awkward as it could have been."

Buffy and Harry agreed, now that they had a clue as to how the Cullens were, they felt better about the meeting Sunday, though still slightly uneasy. It was a family of vampires. Harry had known wizards and witches who had lived with vampires but he had this feeling that the kind he had heard about and even met was a kind of mix between the two he had seen and was looking at tonight. Buffy was uneasy for the fact that she knew what vampires were like and while he seemed different and she wanted to meet the Cullens, she still was bringing her stake.

They were turning to leave when Harry turned back to the vampire who still stood there. "What's your name?"

"Edward Cullen, it was nice to meet you?..."

"Harry...Harry Potter," Harry said, almost smiling because he sounded like so many witches and wizards who said his name when they had realized who he was.

Edward turned his gaze on the slayer.

"Buffy Summers," She replied to his silent question. "Well I guess we'll see you Sunday."

Edward nodded and with that he was gone, a blur of vampire escaping into the woods on the opposite side of the cemetery.

Buffy and Harry turned around walking back towards their houses. "Do all vampires move like that?" Harry asked, his wand tucked safely back in his jacket he'd pulled on. Buffy's stake was back in her leather jacket, nothing indicating she'd just killed a vampire on it.

"Well they move quickly," Buffy said. "And they are very strong. I've seen some jump from some very high places, but I've never seen them move quite like that. I have this feeling that they're also quite stronger than I'm use to," Buffy murmured, really hoping that at least the Cullens were on their side of whatever fight was about to happen and glad that the wizards and witches were. She wasn't quite sure of their full abilities but was pretty sure they had many.

They reached the Potter house, all looked quiet at both homes. "Well I guess we will see this Sunday."

"Yeah," Buffy murmured her agreement. "Thanks Harry for that spell back there, Edward distracted me enough that I wasn't watching the other vampire."

Harry nodded, "Its what friends do for each other." They both kind of laughed at that. How many people, in the wide scheme of things were wizards who helped slayers?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

After Buffy had gotten back last night she'd gone straight to bed. Only Giles' light had been on and she figured it would be better to speak to everyone in the morning.

The next morning she was the last in the kitchen. Dawn was making breakfast and mostly everyone else was mingling around or sitting at the breakfast nook talking about their classes for the day and other random Scooby Gang topics.

She grabbed a glass of orange juice that had been set out, leaned against the counter and said quite bluntly and suddenly, "Hey guys so I went on patrol last night and killed a vampire."

Giles took off his glasses, rubbing them with his shift, an hobby of his, as he leaned against the doorway separating the kitchen and dining room. "It wasn't a Cullen family member was it?"

"No, don't think I could successfully do that without help, but one was there," Buffy said causing those who had ignored the first statement to take notice. Killing a vampire was common occurrences among the group, but seeing a new breed of vampire...one that the slayer doesn't think she could kill by herself, was quite another thing all together.

She told them about Harry showing up, how he'd given her space to fight, she didn't think it important to mention that she'd enjoyed fighting the vampire. Giles would be worried for some reason.

Buffy continued to tell them how the Cullen member, Edward, had shown up and distracted her enough for the other vampire to get a good hit in. Then how the vampire had warned there were more of both types of vampires and also more of Harry's type of witches and wizards. That this bunch didn't know of the good side being in Hope yet, but they would.

"Then Harry said something, waved his wand and the vampire froze. I think Edward and I were a little shocked because Harry had to yell "Kill him" for me to actually react--"

"--He froze a vampire?" Willow said with a little awe in her voice. "Wow!"

Buffy laughed, "He said Blimey when I dusted the vamp."

They all chuckled. Giles put his glasses back on, "Dawn you might want to take the cinnamon buns out of the oven."

Dawn gave a little squeak and turned immediately to the oven, pulling out an only slightly crispy tray of cinnamon buns. Everyone grabbed one, devouring them with murmurs of thanks and 'mmm's'. Dawn smiled her welcome to everyone's appreciation. "What about Edward?" She asked, putting the now empty tray into the sink and turning off the oven.

Buffy licked her fingers of sticky cream before she answered, "He told us who he was, saying something about his family being vegetarians. He said something about his um sister being a person of second sight. Then said we had a lot to talk about this Sunday then he went off in a blur..." she paused, remembering. "Giles, he was faster than any vampire I've ever seen."

Giles, now sitting on the bench at the breakfast nook, looked to be pondering this for a moment. "I think we have a lot to learn about these vampires."

"Oh that reminds me, Harry and I thought it would be good for their group to come over and do a research session. Apparently their old school has many books on different things that Hermione is going to go ask to borrow. They apparently have better standings with their old school then," Buffy smiled, "us."

"Well considering the school doesn't exist anymore," Willow murmured.

"The town doesn't exist anymore," Xander added.

The whole group kind of chuckled half-heartedly and agreed with Buffy and Harry's idea.

______________________________________________________________________

Harry didn't get to tell his friends about what he'd seen the night before until they were home that night.

"Chemistry is going to be interesting, eh?" Ron asked. They walked into the house welcomed by smells of dinner. "I could get use to Mum being here," he murmured appreciatively.

Harry smiled and agreed Chemistry would be "interesting" though he had a feeling his version of interesting was more along the lines of Ginny's and Hermione's then Ron's.

They were sitting around the table eating Molly's corned beef and potatoes when Harry finally found a chance to bring up the night before.

"Are we all nervous about Sunday night, or is it just me? George said after a slight lull in the conversation of the day before yesterday's meeting of the Scoobies.

After several nods of ascension, Harry spoke up, "Actually not as much as I had been." The table became quiet as all eyes turned to him. "I went on that walk last night," everyone nodded in remembrance. "Well I caught up with Buffy and she was fighting one of her vampires--" he paused picturing the fight in his head. "She's super strong, flexible and fast. Her fighting skills were amazing. I actually think her and the vampire were both enjoying themselves a little."

Molly gasped, Harry moved quickly on, not meaning to worry the woman.

"Anyhow, she was holding her own, winning when a noise in the trees distracted us all." He continued to tell them the rest of the story, about what the first vampire said, how he froze him, then how Buffy killed him and how they sort of met Edward Cullen. "Buffy and I decided we should de a research session over at their house. Hermione can you use that interesting bag of yours and get some books from Hogwarts--mostly on anything to do with vampires and if anything is there hidden about muggle magic, mysteries, etc."

Ron hid a laugh then blush when everyone looked his way. "Sorry but isn't that weird sounding--muggle magic?"

The others chuckled half-heartedly. They knew Ron was just as confused about all of this as they were.

Ron and Hermione disapparated to Hogwarts after supper. The others worked on cleaning some of the rooms in the house that hadn't been worked on by the house elves who had just worked on a few main rooms and bedrooms enough for those coming and a couple of visitors as Harry had asked them to...though they were still working hard on the front yard...enjoying themselves actually, if Harry had to guess.

Ginny and Harry, wanting to enjoy some alone time went up the attic of the house. After Hogwarts nothing was really too scary. They'd seen ghosts, they'd seen dungeons, trolls, and even spiders...what could be up in the Potter's attic but dusty old items left behind from years past.

They walked up narrow steps which creaked underfoot. The house was really old, so old that Harry had this feeling it was somehow moved by magic at least from the other side of the states--if not from England itself. He knew enough about Muggle history, even American history, to know that Oregon hadn't been settled before this house had been built. Harry opened the attic door and immediately was surrounded by cobwebs.

With amusement that it was lucky Ron wasn't with them, he pulled out his wand and murmured "Tergeo", the cobwebs disappeared around him, his cleaning spell working well. Ginny and him worked quietly like that for a while, cleaning the dust and cobwebs from the surfaces they could see. Even with magic it took them about an hour before they finally could settle on a couple of chairs, pulling a box over to go through it together.

"Accio, water," Ginny murmured, and within moments two bottles of water came into the attic. They drank hungrily then started in on the box, both murmuring "Lumos" so they could see better. They lost track of time as they went through boxes. Not really looking for anything in particular just enjoying looking at the past. They found old muggle clothes of ages past and even old muggle pictures but figured it was just cover clothes witches and wizards had back when. It probably would have been easier for them to fit in, in some ways. However, people who were different were even less accepted back when for any differences besides the standards.

"Harry," Ginny said softly. Surprising him enough he jumped and banged his head on top of the trunk he'd been digging in. He rubbed the top of his head gingerly and lifted his wand so he could see where Ginny was.

Harry looked over at Ginny from his corner he'd taken residence in. On her lap was a small chest she had dug out from a box labeled "Lily". She was holding a picture in her hands, a small tear trickling down her cheek. "I think I know who's house this was."

Harry walked over and knelt by Ginny ignoring the dust on the ground. There in her hands was a still picture of his mum, at least he thought so at first. Until he realized that it was actually his grandmother and the two girls standing in front of her...in front of the house they currently were sitting in...was... "That's my Mum and Aunt Petunia," Harry exclaimed gently taking the picture out of Ginny's hands. There, he was sure, were his mum and aunt when they had been very young. As always his aunt didn't smile but his mum was showing the love in her green eyes as she smiled for the camera, showing off some missing baby teeth. He figured if the picture was like the wizardry world pictures he'd grown use to his mum wouldn't have stayed still for long.

"She looks like she's just waiting to get on the swing set," Harry murmured. Ginny put her hand on his shoulder, he sat down and leaned his back against her leg as he looked through the rest of the pictures. All of them were from when his mum had been a little girl...before she found out she was a witch. They saw her swinging on the swing, going to the zoo in London, making cookies with her mum, a whole bunch of activities that Harry had never thought about his muggle born mother doing. "I never really thought of her as a muggle born witch...didn't really think of her as a child period. Her or dad."

"Harry, Love, I really don't think any of us think about how our parents grow up...maybe once they hit Hogwarts...you've seen it through memories and pictures, but before. Bugger, I can't imagine my mum being anything but a mum and my dad being anything but my dad who's crazy about muggle things," Ginny said quietly. "You've gotten a opportunity now to think about it and maybe learn more about both sides of your family while you're here," she looked about her. "I think this house was in your mum's side of the family and when her parents died they gave it to her and your dad so she would have a way to remember who she'd once been. I think its cool they brought the house out here as kind of a vacation home," Ginny said, hugging Harry from behind. "A place to keep both your heritages alive in one place."

Putting down the box, a smile growing on his face as he realized what Ginny said was true, he turned around and looked into her loving brown eyes. "I love you Ginny, you know that, right?" he asked softly as he cupped her face in his hands.

Another tear escaped as she nodded and they kissed...

"Oi! Harry stop snogging my sister!" Ron exclaimed, breaking the couple apart, blushes both showing on their faces.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, running up behind him in the narrow attic stairs. "Will you leave them alone? You were snogging me at the Hogwarts' library all night long, so you have no room to talk," Hermione tried to pull Ron back down the stairs, but his feet were planted and his angry eyes were on his sister and best friend. "Ron, seriously, you've already accepted Harry and Ginny going out a long time ago. Its not any different this time around, except perhaps more serious as you and I are." She tried again, then threw up her hands in the air in exasperation. "Sorry Harry, I tried. We just came up here to let you know you two have been up here all night and Molly is wondering if you were coming down for breakfast."

Harry had stood up at the surprise intrusion, he pulled his eyes from his best mate...and brother of the woman he loved, to look out the windows to see that indeed the sun was rising, an orange glow on the distant eastern skyline. "We didn't know we'd been searching that long," he helped Ginny from the floor where they'd been "snogging" quite beautifully before Ron had so rudely interrupted. Though Harry didn't blame Ron, if he had a sister he wouldn't let her kiss someone like him either--he did kind of attract danger to those he cared about. He stepped away from Ginny, missing the hurt and confused look on her face, but grabbed her hand nonetheless to help guide her through the grime and mess they'd created in their search. He let go of her hand after they were standing next to Ron and Hermione.

Harry ignored Ron, not wanting to start something since he was unsure about his own view of whether he should be going after Ginny or not. "Molly is already up making breakfast?" he asked instead.

"Yes, between us out at Hogwarts and you searching the whole night up here, she couldn't sleep with nothing to do. She's trying her hand at some of Fleur's recipes, they smell good," Hermione explained, pulling Ron's hand again so maybe the tension will be not so focused on Harry.

"Okay, Ginny, go ahead and head down with them. I'm going to grab the chest, I want to look at it some more in better light," Harry turned away from the group, leaving no room for argument or conversation.

"Oh Bugger Ron, why do you always have to Bloody get involve with my business?" Ginny asked, her voice filled with hurt once they were in the hallway away from the attic. Her angry brown eyes shouted out many more accusations that she didn't voice but instead turned angrily on her heal, running down the steps to help her mum with breakfast.

"You know Ron, she's right," Hermione murmured.

Ron sighed, "Yea I know." He didn't say anymore, Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed supportively before she followed Ginny down the steps. Ron waited in the hall, not wanting to leave things like he had with Harry. He really didn't think there was anybody better for Ginny then Harry, in fact he was pretty sure they were meant for each other. But a combination of jealously and protectiveness seemed to always kick in when he saw the two together.

Halting when he saw Ron, Harry considered going back up the attic stairs or even apparating away. However, Gryffindors weren't built like that. He was pretty sure a true witch or wizard wasn't built like that...no matter what house or even school they came from. So he haltingly walked towards his best mate, not sure what to say or even if he should say anything.

"I'm sorry mate, you know I think you and Ginny make an awesome pair, right?" Ron said awkwardly while trying to look his friend in the eye, letting Harry know that what he said now was the truth...not what he had spatted out up in the attic...which luckily hadn't been too much, but Ron knew his actions had spoken louder than his lack of words.

Harry wasn't sure what to say. He knew Ron was speaking the truth, he could see it in his friend's eyes. But his own doubts had clung on in him since the untimely intrusion.

"Look mate, I know you," Ron continued at Harry's silence. "You're going to get some idea in your head that Ginny deserves somebody better. But listen to me, hard, nobody else could be better than you for her. She loves you man, and I know, even if I sometimes don't act like it, know you love her..." Harry's green eyes finally connected with his friend's. He saw truth in what Ron said in those eyes.

"--Why don't you go downstairs and give Ginny a nice big snog and kiss? I think I accidentally caused you to hurt her by my words," Ron said before Harry could say anything.

Harry's eyes grew wide. Ron was actually telling him to go do what started all this anyway? He hesitated, then smiled gratefully and turned, turning around after he'd walked a few steps. "We're growing up Ron, aren't we?"

Ron chuckled, "Blimey Harry. You can ask that after all we've been through? Of course we're growing up." Ron stopped himself from going on, otherwise he was going to get emotional and none of them needed that.

"Thanks mate," Harry chuckled too, putting thoughts of what they'd all been through and his doubts away for awhile at least. He had a make-up kiss to attend to.

______________________________________________________________________

"Er, mate, I didn't mean snog her in front of mum," Ron said as they walked, together, as a group across the street. Molly, Ginny and Hermione carried covered dishes of food and Arthur was carrying Hermione's suitcase of books--even magical it was a heavy load.

Harry felt his cheeks blush, "She was crying Ron, I made her cry..."

"We both did," Ron reminded him.

"Yea well, I wasn't about to let her keep crying like that. So yea I kissed her there in front of Molly," Harry murmured, his voice filled with embarrassment. Though it had worked Ginny had smiled, then kissed him back fully...it had been quite a kiss, more in depth then either of them had experienced. He still felt it deep in his soul.

"Yea," Ron chuckled, though he tried to cover it up with a cough. "But you now got mum making wedding plans. That must have been some kiss. She's known you two have liked each other almost as long as I have...possibly longer with her mother intuition. However now she's got it in her mind that a summer wedding at the Burrow will be perfect for you two--and she's even thinking about a double wedding," Ron's voice sounded kind of scared, as his eyes looked over at a smiling Hermione. The girls were deep in conversation with Molly, but luckily not about the wedding plans Molly had been trying to discuss all day long.

"You love her right?"

"Of course I do, but marriage?"

Harry had to admit that the thought scared him too. Though in some deep part of him, he did want what his parents had, and he wanted it with Ginny. Luckily, their arrival at an already open door to the Buffy house saved Harry from answering Ron's question.

______________________________________________________________________

Weddings and lack there of were forgotten as they all sat, a little more close together then in the Potter house, in Buffy's house. Not much talking was going on. Research involved lots of books, and each group decided to pair up, one scooby and one of the witches and wizards together. So as they could get a new perspective on what they were reading but still have someone who knew what it meant close by. Dawn and George were on the computer, Dawn slowly teaching George about the weird muggle artifact that he was very interested in. Giles, Molly and Arthur were pouring over the journals written by the squib watcher together, trying to see if anything mentioned anything else that Chet would have been more open to seeing then other watchers. Buffy and Harry were talking about the vampires they knew and both agreeing that Harry's was indeed a kind of mix between the two--at least it seemed on the information they knew. The wizardry world knew that vampires could co-exist among humans, so they couldn't burn in the sun, but yet the vampires Harry had met hadn't seemed awfully strong or fast.

Hermione, Ginny and Willow were trying to read and tell each other about the differences between their witchcraft. They found out that some spells were essentially the same, but Willow admit that she rarely did magic because she was afraid it would make her evil. "Even after my very good moment in the last battle, I'm still hesitant to use magic. Your magic seems strong, yet it doesn't seem to sap your strength at all?" her statement was also a question, her eyes gazing admiringly at Hermione and Ginny.

Ginny smiled, "Like Harry said, I guess even the small stuff would seem like powerful magic. We're just so use to it that we don't think about it. If we use really big spells and have to fight to use them...like in dangerous situations, our energy is sapped but not dangerously so, at least not usually."

Hermione explained that it was kind of like a muggle fighting. Two muggles could keep up the fight, but it helped to have rest and help from others to defeat the one you dueled against. "Harry rarely had help when he was dueling with Voldermort. He's a powerful wizard, Harry is. Voldermort was too, but he missed one very important factor in his fight. Love--he didn't have love of his friends, the desire to make sure they were safe, to keep him going again and again. He only liked himself--not love, but he thought he was this great powerful wizard that all others should follow--but he didn't love himself...no one could truly love themselves when they are that evil. So when he was starting to lose himself, he couldn't draw on that love to help him win the battle he'd been fighting all his life to win," Hermione explained.

Willow didn't ask anymore details, tonight was not the night for a full story. "I understand, I was full of hate for awhile. I thought I was doing it out of love for Tara--she was killed, and she was someone I had loved very deeply--I was trying to revenge her deaths...but then it soon became more about me and showing my powers, then about her...I knew she wouldn't have wanted me to do the things I had done. That was a dark time in my life, but Xander and the rest of our family," she nodded to the scoobies spread about the kitchen, dining room and living room. "They reminded me what true love was, that even when everything seemed so wrong, there was good in the world--a world I almost destroyed--I almost destroyed my friends and everything--Tara loved this world--and I almost destroyed it all, but Xander's love--he was the first one there, saved me from doing that. Everyone's support helped me through that--but I don't use magic, that often, if I can help not to, I don't."

Hermione and Ginny both reached for the older woman's hands. Ginny was the one to speak, "We all have our times where magic controls us in evil ways," she thought of the Chamber of Secrets and everything that happened that year--even then Harry had fought to save her, and he had barely known her. "Harry has even had his moments, however he has this undying love within him that fights through it. He's one of the few wizards out there that at a young age was impervious to the Imperius curse...which is a mind controlling curse--I think that's because he fully knows who he is--a good man, and what he wants--for is friends and family to be safe. Which considering he can be friendly to most people is saying a lot. He might not think he's a good man, he blames himself in so many ways, but that, to me, makes him only that much a better man--though I do hope he sees the good in himself some day," she ended her little speech with a sigh, her brown eyes looking towards where Buffy and Harry were researching.

"Give him time, Ginny, I think today was a good start," Hermione murmured encouragingly for her friend.

They returned to their research, all three of them feeling the bond that had been created in their shared moments.

Ron and Xander were having a little less serious time of it. They were trying, they'd been given some books to look over. But they easily got diverted when they commented something funny on a demon's attributes or lack there of. They two were becoming friends, though their laughter was getting dirty looks and rolling eyes from the rest of the room.

All in all it was a successful research meeting in that they'd grown closer during it. They'd learn about each other a little more. However, in the end, they found nothing concrete about vampires who could stand in the sunlight and moved so fast you could barely see them.

"Well I guess we'll have to wait till tomorrow after all," Buffy said to the group as they ate their dinner around the cramped dining room table.

"Yea, but I'm glad we did this," Harry said and everyone agreed. Then they all agreed they'd drive together to the Cullens tomorrow afternoon.

And yes, Buffy was still coming armed with her stake--though after what she'd seen the night before she wasn't sure how effective it would be with this bunch of vampires if it needed to be used. However, she figured bringing anything heavier, like the slayer's scythe would be a bit much--though she hope she wouldn't need it.


End file.
